Schubert Gambetta

Schúbert Gambetta Saint Léon (14 April 1920 – 9 August 1991) was a Uruguayan footballer. He played as a half-back and was right-footed. Gambetta was a figure in the Maracanazo when he marked Zizinho and Ademir during the game, which helped him to the 1950 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team. Regarded to be one of the best flank defenders in the history of Uruguayan and world football. Gambetta was renowned as a strong and a quick defender, who stood out for his leadership on the pitch, man-marking opponents, acceleration, beating opponents with his dribbling, long range passing and his great tackling. On the other hand, he was also considered versatile, capable of playing in ten line positions, both on the left and right flanks. Former player, former coach and current commentator Juan Faccio defined that "Gambetta, if he played now, would be the courage and prodigiousness of Ruso Pérez, the strength and courage of Diego Lugano, the ball strike of Diego Forlán, the dominance of Nicolás Lodeiro, Luis Suárez's header, Diego Godín's speed", practicing well the fundamentals of running, passing, dominating, anticipation and heading, being a defender who knew how to reach the goal in conservative times for the advance of the defense: considered ahead of his season,  he was widely considered as one of the greatest football players in the 1940s and 1950s.

Early years
Schubert Gambetta, also spelled Shubert Gambetta and nicknamed "Mono Gambetta", was a descendant of Santino Gambetta, who emigrated from Liguria to Uruguay in the early 20th century. He started playing football at the Independiente club, located in the Montevidean neighborhood around Avenidas Rivera and Osorio. On November 30, 1937 he was first committed to Club Atlético Peñarol. After a tough legal battle, he finally switched to competitor Nacional Montevideo.

Club career
Gambetta made his debut there in 1940 in the first team and played first until 1948 and after a move to Colombia again from 1950 to 1956 for the club. During his time at Nacional he was able to win the Uruguayan national champion title and in 1940 and 1946 the Copa Aldao a total of ten times (1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1955 and 1956). He has been recognised as one of the ever finest players, for his great goalscoring ability, beating attacking players and his great passing. As further career stations of "Mono" Gambetta the Montevidean clubs Sud América and Club Atlético Progreso and Millonarios and Cúcuta Deportivo (1949) reported from Colombia. In 1960 he ended his career in ranks of the second division relegated CA Mar de Fondo, one of the smaller clubs in Montevideo.

International career
In 1941 he made his debut in official matches as part of the national team of Uruguay. In the same year, he went with the national team to his first major tournament — the South American Championship in Chile, where the Uruguayans won silver. Subsequently, he participated in three more continental championships - in 1942 in Uruguay, in 1945 in Chile and in 1947 in Ecuador. At the domestic tournament held in 1942, he won the title of South American champion as part of the national team. The crown of Gambetta's career in the national team was the World Championship of 1950, held in Brazil. At the World Cup, the experienced defender first appeared on the field in the second game of the final tournament against Sweden, the victory in which left the Uruguayans in the fight for the championship title. He then played the whole of the decisive game against the home team, in which the Uruguayans, thanks to his solid defensive performance, won a sensational 2-1 victory to become the 1950 World Champions and he was chosen to be in the All-Star Team. After the triumphant World Cup, Gambetta played only one game for the national team in 1952 and ended his career there, having played 37 matches and scored 3 goals over eleven years.

Honours
Club
 Primera División Uruguaya Winner: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1955 and 1956.
 Primera División Uruguaya Runner up: 1944, 1945, 1949, 1951, 1953 and 1954.
 Torneo de Honor Winner: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1948 and 1955.
 Torneo Competencia Winner: 1942, 1945, 1948 and 1952.
 Torneo Cuadrangular Winner: 1952, 1954 and 1955.
 Copa Aldao (Copa Río de la Plata) Winner: 1940, 1942 and 1946.
 Copa de Confraternidad Escobar - Gerona Winner: 1945.

International
 Copa Rio Branco Winner versus Brazil: 1946 and 1948.
 Copa Rio Branco Runner-up: 1947, 1950
 Copa Escobar Gerona Winner: 1943, 1945
 South American Championship  Runner up: 1941
 South American Championship Winner: 1942
 South American Championship  Fourth Place: 1945, 1946
 South American Championship Third Place: 1947
 1950 FIFA World Cup: Winner

Individual
 1950 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
 IFFHS Uruguayan Men's Dream Team (Team B)

Other websites
Profile (in Spanish)
World Cup Final Appearance
International Appearances
References

Category:1920 births
Category:1991 deaths
Category:Footballers from Montevideo
Category:1950 FIFA World Cup players
Category:Association football defenders